Cooler weather good news for Ski Ben Eoin

A long line of skiers made their way down the Red Tail run at Ski Ben Eoin in this Cape Breton Post file photo.

SYDNEY — With the recent dip in the mercury, snowmaking is well underway at Ski Ben Eoin in the hopes of opening the ski hill within a few days.

Heather Voyles, culture and customer development manager at the hill, said Tuesday that snowmaking began on Dec. 22, with a bit of a break for the holidays and because temperatures warmed a bit, but is back underway.

“The temps are looking pretty good, we had all of the blowers out last night and into the wee hour of the morning and our hills are covered with a nice white first layer of fresh powder, so we’re just going to continue as long as the temperatures allow us to,” she said.

Ski Ben Eoin is not yet releasing a targeted opening date, but Voyles said it could be within days.

To make snow, a temperature of at least -1 C is required, with -3 C considered even better.

Anyone wanting to keep a virtual eye on the snowmaking activities can do so by checking out the webcam on the hill’s website, skibeneoin.com.

“Check out our webcam on our website … just for a general overview of where we’re centralizing the snowmaking on various ski runs,” Voyles said.

“Based on the temperature and the forecast and the way things are headed in from the south, it looks like things are going to be just fine this week, so we’re shooting for the first week of the new year,” Voyles said.

Unseasonably warm temperatures in early winter meant that this year's ski season was delayed from last year.

Ski Ben Eoin didn't open until Dec. 21 last year even with a heavy snowfall and cold temperatures, due to capital work being done to the site.

The ski hill employs about 80 people at peak season, including those who run the programs.

Meanwhile, Ski Wentworth on the mainland opened for the season on Monday.

“We’re up and running and had a great opening day yesterday,” Ski Wentworth general manager Leslie Wilson said in an interview with TC Media on Tuesday. “We had good crowds throughout the day and people were excited to be back. There were a lot of happy people out here.”

Officials with northern Nova Scotia’s lone ski hill had planned to open in mid-December and then also pushed it back after a mild spell and rain wiped out all the natural snow on the hill and depleted most of the manmade snow.

Heather Voyles, culture and customer development manager at the hill, said Tuesday that snowmaking began on Dec. 22, with a bit of a break for the holidays and because temperatures warmed a bit, but is back underway.

“The temps are looking pretty good, we had all of the blowers out last night and into the wee hour of the morning and our hills are covered with a nice white first layer of fresh powder, so we’re just going to continue as long as the temperatures allow us to,” she said.

Ski Ben Eoin is not yet releasing a targeted opening date, but Voyles said it could be within days.

To make snow, a temperature of at least -1 C is required, with -3 C considered even better.

Anyone wanting to keep a virtual eye on the snowmaking activities can do so by checking out the webcam on the hill’s website, skibeneoin.com.

“Check out our webcam on our website … just for a general overview of where we’re centralizing the snowmaking on various ski runs,” Voyles said.

“Based on the temperature and the forecast and the way things are headed in from the south, it looks like things are going to be just fine this week, so we’re shooting for the first week of the new year,” Voyles said.

Unseasonably warm temperatures in early winter meant that this year's ski season was delayed from last year.

Ski Ben Eoin didn't open until Dec. 21 last year even with a heavy snowfall and cold temperatures, due to capital work being done to the site.

The ski hill employs about 80 people at peak season, including those who run the programs.

Meanwhile, Ski Wentworth on the mainland opened for the season on Monday.

“We’re up and running and had a great opening day yesterday,” Ski Wentworth general manager Leslie Wilson said in an interview with TC Media on Tuesday. “We had good crowds throughout the day and people were excited to be back. There were a lot of happy people out here.”

Officials with northern Nova Scotia’s lone ski hill had planned to open in mid-December and then also pushed it back after a mild spell and rain wiped out all the natural snow on the hill and depleted most of the manmade snow.